Gender inequality mostly culturally influenced

Madam,

The sociological imagination is the ability to observe and consider the relation between individual e[periences, current social changes, in relation to historical issues or events. This reflection piece looks at the level of development in (swatini by considering a social factor which is part of the cause of this phenomenon and providing a sociological perspective on it.

Development in the country has been moving at a gradual pace in comparison to other 6$DC countries, as in 1 it was rated one of the lowest economic growths in the 6ub-6aharan region, according to the $frican %ank Development Group. One of the prime causes of this slow progress is identified as gender inequality.

The gender inequality factor is mostly influenced by the traditions instilled in ema6wati. $lthough, because of some e[posure to the western culture, males and females have equivalent access to education, but most households tend to condone male attendance as opposed to female attendance. This, therefore, leads to a large number of uneducated women in a country whose populace consists mostly of women. The family structure is hence changed because of lack of family planning due to minimum education; this results in women bearing a lot of children without the provision of enough resources. Therefore, growth in population results in lack of resources which causes a dent in the economy, as produce and food have to be imported from other countries for sustainability.

$ great number of enterprises contributing to the economy are run by men, who make up the minority of the population, hence there are less companies contributing to the boost of the economy. The women who do get to acquire an education, migrate and work in other countries where the workplace environment does not undermine women capabilities.

ORGANISATIONS

$lso, men tend to migrate to work in other countries and sometimes settle with other women, leaving their uneducated wives to fend for themselves with their children; the results of this being dire poverty. In most organisations locally, women are undermined, resulting in their ideas being shutdown, hence hindering chances of innovation and profit-generation for those enterprises. +owever, according to the International Labour Organisation, the hardships of gender inequality are not only e[perienced by women but men as well. There is pressure for men to perform in a certain way at work because of the responsibility that comes with being a man; this causes conflict in workplaces, which affects the productivity of the company and hence negatively impacting the growth domestic product of the country.

Gender inequality dates back to the 19th century and beyond; most countries, like (swatini, are still reluctant when it comes to allowing women to be breadwinners. This factor is mostly influenced in rural areas where tradition is rarely compromised. Influence from the western culture is at a minimum in these areas, hence influential men in these parts are led to believe women s responsibilities include bearing children and taking care of families.

8nfortunately, some women in rural areas also feel the role of a woman is to take care of their families, they especially reference biblical times where women were e[pected to be submissive to their husbands and families, and they have no desire to conquer the corporate or agricultural field in the country. Gender inequality, in relation to gradual development in (swatini, is mostly culturally influenced. On its own, gender inequality breeds different factors such as unemployment and e[tensive population growth, which in turn slows the level of development in the country. Therefore, in order to ascertain development in the country, we need to aim for optimal gender equality.

Khulile